Vietnam Village Lifts 26 Families Out of Poverty With Cows

At 70 years old, Dinh Thi He thought her life would always be defined by struggle. After losing her husband in 2002 and raising two grandchildren while her children worked far away, the future looked bleak in her small Vietnamese village.

Then early this year, everything changed. Ky Lac commune in Ha Tinh province launched a new approach to poverty reduction that didn't just offer temporary help but lasting opportunity.

Instead of cash handouts, local officials gave Mrs. He something better: a breeding cow and the knowledge to care for it. For someone too frail for heavy labor but still capable of feeding animals and cleaning barns, it was the perfect match.

"I am old and can't do heavy work, but I can still take care of the cows," Mrs. He explained. "Having more calves means more capital for the family."

Her neighbor, 65-year-old Doan Duc Tri, received the same support. His family had struggled for years with medical bills and poor health, but the breeding cow gave them hope and a plan forward.

The approach works because it's personal. Village officials don't just drop off livestock and disappear, they visit regularly to check on the animals, provide vaccination reminders, and offer guidance on building proper barns.

The Ripple Effect

Ky Lac faced serious challenges before this program began. By the end of 2025, over 7% of households lived in poverty or near-poverty, struggling on limited farmland with few resources.

The commune's leadership realized money alone wouldn't solve the problem. Nguyen Van Duan, Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee, emphasized the importance of choosing "the right needs, the right target groups, and the right models."

So far in 2026, the program has established 26 livelihood projects for struggling families: 10 cattle farms and 16 chicken farms. Local officials mobilized support from businesses, community organizations, and former residents who had moved away but wanted to help.

The results speak for themselves. Families who received support have gained confidence, expanded their operations, and started generating their own income. Mrs. He's cow is preparing to give birth to its first calf, marking the beginning of a herd that could sustain her family for years.

The shift in mindset matters as much as the material support. Participants are moving from dependence to self-reliance, from waiting for help to actively building businesses.

Ky Lac proves that sustainable poverty reduction requires partnership, not charity, and that sometimes the best gift is teaching someone to fish, or in this case, raise cattle.